Having a baby is a beautiful journey. From the 40 weeks you carry them around till your little bundle of joy is in your arms. It’s a delight to watch them grow and graduate from crawling to walking independently. However, before achieving this important milestone of his life, your baby goes through various phases of development. These are called developmental milestones.

Although each baby grows in his own unique way at his own time, but there are guidelines about developmental milestones that every parent should know so that they can keep an eye on the warning signs in case of any delay in the milestones.

Achieving the milestones takes a lot of practice like every other thing. Your child might start doing something but it takes time to master the art.

Here is a little guide to help you identify those stages

Your little miracle starts to hold his neck in place at three months.

A month later, they start rolling to one or both sides

Soon after that, the undergo a prime change in posture and start sitting with support and then without one.

They start of crawling at about six month.

Gradually they start standing around nine months and ultimately start walking on their wobbly little legs at 11 months.

Remember that it is very difficult to determine that whether the delay is sign of a long term developmental issue leading to disability or the child will catch up and be typical in his development.

Keep an eye out for the signs

A baby or child can show signs of delayed development at any point of time. Any delay in the milestones can be due to a number of reasons including premature birth, birth asphyxia, delayed crying at birth, episodes of seizures, vitamin D deficiency or neurological deficits like cerebral palsy and down syndrome.

The key is to be vigilant. If you feel that your baby is lagging behind in any area, consult with your baby’s healthcare provider. With this knowledge you might help your baby overcome the delay with an early intervention and he will be perfectly normal.

Malnutrition is the insufficient intake of essential nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and fats etc.

Here’s is a fun thing to expect when you are expecting. You will find yourself roaming about the fridge and in and out of the kitchen. With an inflated appetite, you will either always be eating or thinking about eating.

For a healthy baby, it is crucial that the mother eats about 1800 – 2500 kilocalories/day since she’s eating for two. Now is not the time to cut back on your diet out of the fear of gaining weight.

Out of all the essential nutrients and minerals required while you are carrying a baby, Iron and Iodine tend to have the most effect.

Now we don’t mean to scare you but the deficiency of these two tend to have drastic results.

IODINE

Iodine deficiency in a pregnant woman sometimes causes fetal mortality, be born with mental retardation, deafness, muteness or other such disabilities.

If the baby suffers from iodine deficiency during the most critical stage of brain development which is from the fetal stage up to third month after birth, thyroid failure will cause irreversible alterations in brain function.

Now, why does this happen?

Iodine is involved in the production of a hormone called thyroid. Decreased intake of iodine causes the thyroid hormone synthesis to be impaired resulting in hypothyroidism, where the thyroid gland cannot make sufficient amounts of thyroid hormone to keep the body running.

Here’s how you can avoid it.

The sea is your best friend. Sea weed and sea food are rich in iodine and can help you overcome your increasing need of iodine.

Organic Yogurt, eggs, cheese, some vegetables and cranberries is also a good source of generous amounts of iodine.

IRON

Iron is a mineral found in the red blood cells which is used to carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

Here is a not-so-fun fact. Approximately 15-25% of pregnant women face iron deficiency. During pregnancy, the body produces an excess amount of blood to provide nutrients for the baby. Now this means intake or iron must also be increased to bridge the gap.

What happens if there is a deficiency of Iron?

Now this isn’t meant to scare you but if there is an insufficient supply of iron during pregnancy, it can cause Anemia which can further lead to premature birth, low birth weight, and maternal mortality.

This is where you can get your daily dose of Iron.

Red meat, eggs, nuts, beans and green vegetables are rich in Iron and should be consumed thoroughly during pregnancy.

Also remember, A few apples a day, keep iron deficiency at bay.

If nausea is not letting you to eat ample amount of these foods to keep up with your baby’s increasing iron requirement, ask your doctor to prescribe you iron tablets if he already hasn’t.

Are you over the age of sixty and suffer from pain in your limbs and joints? Do you know someone like that?

According to WHO, about 10% of the population over 60 years of age suffer from osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis.

WHAT CAUSES OSTEOARTHRITIS?

This rise in the prevalence is most likely due to the aging and increased obesity. Pain is the most distressing feature of osteoarthritis. It is caused by inflammation, breakdown, and the eventual loss of cartilage in the joints. Let’s face it, you have gotten old, you have put on extra pounds and your cartilage has worn out, causing the ends of the bones to come in more contact than it is comfortable for you. this is what is causing the pain.

EFFECTS OF ARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis is known to affect the patient’s quality of life and is the leading cause of disability. Ever heard old people complain about their inactivity due to excruciating pain upon movement? Have you seen your parents or grandparents reduce or completely abandon exercise?

Here’s the catch! Patients have made living with osteoarthritis difficult for themselves chiefly owing to the general misconception on part of the patients that they are powerless about their increasing age. They believe that no modifications in behavior and lifestyles can relieve their symptoms and improve their health.

HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO

There are several steps you can take to minimize your suffering.

Make Alterations in Your Intake!

We’ll let you in on a little secret. There is nothing that an appropriate diet and cannot fix. It will be a good time to generously invest in your groceries.

Include a lavish amount of oily fish like salmon in your meals. Look for other sources of Omega-3, like walnuts, broccoli or freshly ground flax seeds.

Turmeric and ginger are known to be beneficial for your condition. So, gear up on your Haldi doodh and Adrak wali Chaye.

A Little Light Exercise Never Hurt Anyone

This may sound painful but walking actually helps. Have you heard the saying “ If you don’t use it, you lose it”. We would recommend walking, moving as much as possible and keeping yourself active.

So dust off your trainers and indulge in the virtues of a short morning or evening walk.

Shed Those Extra Pounds

Exercise and closely monitored diet will help you lose weight reducing the burden on your joints. This will ultimately lessen the pain and you will feel better in no time.

Go and See A Doctor

The last thing you should do is suffer in silence thinking this is just old age catching up to you. The most important thing is to seek help. Let’s be honest, this is the 21st century and there is wondrous medication like anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants and pain relieving medicine that can help you alleviate the pain.

Keep a Positive Attitude

Every ailment has psychological causes and effects. You might feel like you are old and helpless against your disease but the main thing is to remain optimistic. A constructive and pragmatic mindset will help you combat with much more strength and recover sooner than you’d think.

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E-MEDICS is a Telemedicine solution provider for ever-increasing need for healthcare services in Pakistan recently launched its services. E-MEDICS is working to bridge the gap in healthcare services between rural and urban areas and bringing basic healthcare to your doorstep.

About EMEDICS

E-MEDICS is a Telemedicine solution provider for ever-increasing need for healthcare services in Pakistan. E-MEDICS is working to bridge the gap in healthcare services between rural and urban areas and bringing basic healthcare to your doorstep.